Art

Amelia Grant-Alfieri

Ransom Everglades School

Armed with a camcorder and a desire to preserve the rich history of West Coconut Grove, Amelia embarked on a project that will become a permanent record of black churches in the area. Introduced to the Black Church Oral History Project by her father, a University of Miami law professor who runs the school's Center for Ethics and Public Service, Amelia spent two years interviewing and recording subjects, writing narration and transcribing video. She helped create a documentary on the project that premiered at the university's Bill Cosford cinema. Passionate about painting, Amelia has had work featured in the Lowe Art Museum's student showcase and at Coconut Grove's Windisch-Hunt Gallery. She was named an AP Scholar with Honor, a National Merit semi-finalist and will attend Brown University in the fall.

Honorable mentions: Allie Mikelle Perry, Miami Beach Senior High; Evan Burr, Miami Killian Senior High; Chelsea Emilie Dombroskie, New World School of the Arts.

Athletics

Emma Lipshultz

Ransom Everglades School

After spending a month helping to build a community center in a small village in Ghana, Emma wanted to do more. Consulting village leaders, she learned about two crucial issues: transportation and sanitation. With the nearest school about four miles away, bicycles became one solution. Emma received a grant, then raised money by selling avocados, making jewelry, going door-to-door to get donations and placing drop boxes in supermarkets. She raised $1,500 to buy 60 bikes for village students. Emma researched composting toilet designs and used money she earned working over the summer to pay a local builder to install them at the school as a model for the village. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Emma captained her varsity soccer team and was named the Tropical Soccer League's most valuable player. She will attend Harvard in the fall.

Honorable mentions: Jillian Roberts, Coral Reef Senior High; Nicole Michelle Aguirre, John A. Ferguson Senior High; Douglas Anthony Ramos, Christopher Columbus High.

Business

Grether Barbon

G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School

Inspired by a trip to New Orleans to help build a house with Habitat for Humanity, Grether decided to address the issue of shelter in her own community. The cause was a personal one as well. As a child, her family moved from Cuba with little means. Their first apartment was so small, Grether slept on a recliner. Inspired to help others, she launched a multifaceted project. She collected clothes for Covenant House, a shelter for homeless teens; gathered supplies for Habitat for Humanity; and created a project to teach teens about responsible saving and spending. She received the highest national honor from the Future Business Leaders of America and is CEO of her chapter. An AP Scholar, Grether won awards from Smith College and Emory University. She will attend Mount Holyoke, which awarded her a full scholarship.

Honorable mentions: Kristen Marie Cope, Miami Palmetto Senior High; Ryan Leibowitz, MAST Academy; Lourianne Apollon, Miami Edison Senior High.

Drama

Jazmin Lightbourn

Miami Carol City Senior High

For Jazmin, drama is not just a passion. It's a lifeline. Growing up poor, her family often lived without electricity or water. When they lost their home, they moved to her grandmother's back porch. Jazmin said she was abused, teased in school, angry and withdrawn. Then a middle school teacher introduced her to the theater and she found what she described as "the glue that held my broken mind together." Life would still bring struggles, but two close friends refused to let Jazmin give up. Recognizing the importance of such support, Jazmin started a program called Building Bonds to help at-risk children through drama, for which she was awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award. A gifted performer, she received a superior rating in voice and was selected as one of 12 students to perform at the Superintendent's Benefit Gala last year.